GARY, Ind. — IU Northwest men's basketball closed out its home schedule with a statement performance Wednesday night inside the Savannah Center, defeating Indiana South Bend, 84–74, to split the season series between the two IU programs.
The RedHawks set the tone early with efficient offense and active hands on the defensive end. After falling behind 8–2 in the opening minutes, IU Northwest responded behind Ladaion Barnes, who attacked the rim for an early layup and later connected from deep to ignite a first-half surge. Antonio Phillips knocked down a three-pointer off a Barnes assist to cut into the deficit, and Romello Ali buried a triple from the wing to swing momentum.
Midway through the first half, Matthew Hoarde provided a steady interior presence, converting on back-to-back finishes in the paint. AJ Williams added a spark off the bench with a three-pointer at the 2:53 mark, and Barnes followed with another triple before finishing a transition layup off a Williams steal to extend the lead. The RedHawks closed the half on a strong run, taking a 42–36 advantage into the break after shooting 53.3 percent from the field.
Indiana South Bend trimmed the margin early in the second half, but IU Northwest answered with timely execution. Ali opened the period with a three-pointer from the top of the key, assisted by Trey Steinhilber. Caleb Jenkins later knocked down a three in transition to push the lead back to five, and Barnes came up with a steal and finish at the rim to stretch the advantage.
With just over 11 minutes to play, Hoarde converted inside and then found Jenkins for a pair of momentum-shifting three-pointers down the stretch. Ali added another triple with 2:33 remaining to give the RedHawks breathing room, and Hoarde sealed the contest at the free-throw line in the final seconds.
IU Northwest finished the night shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on 12 three-pointers. The RedHawks also received a major lift from the bench, which outscored IU South Bend's reserves 43–29.
The RedHawks were led by Ladaion Barnes and Romello Ali, who each scored 19 points. Barnes went 7-of-15 from the field with four three-pointers, four assists and two rebounds. Ali shot 7-of-13, including 3-of-7 from deep, while adding five rebounds and four steals. Matthew Hoarde contributed 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting with five assists, and Caleb Jenkins added 13 points, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Antonio Phillips chipped in five points and five rebounds, while Amarion Johnson controlled the glass with six rebounds.
As a team, IU Northwest totaled 17 assists and forced 17 turnovers, converting those into 22 points. The RedHawks held IU South Bend to just 18.2 percent shooting from three-point range.
IU Northwest returns to action Saturday, Feb. 21, traveling to Bourbonnais, Ill., to face Olivet Nazarene University. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.
